PSC vs. CSU Channel Islands

Should I go to Polk State College or California State University Channel Islands? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PSC or CSU Channel Islands is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Polk State College vs. California State University Channel Islands comparison
Polk State College California State University Channel Islands College 3 College 4
California State University Channel Islands
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Overview

PSC CSU Channel Islands
Location Winter Haven, FL Camarillo, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,180 6,128
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website polk.edu csuci.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PSC CSU Channel Islands
Tuition (In State) $2,483 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $9,933 $17,622
Room & Board $8,339 $16,300
Avg Net Price $9,588 $13,540
Avg Grant Aid $3,168 $9,412
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 72%

Admission

PSC CSU Channel Islands
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 10,420
Admitted - 9,342
Acceptance Rate Open 89.7%
Enrolled % Open 6.8%
Avg High School GPA - 3.22
Typical High School Grades - B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2025

Academics

PSC CSU Channel Islands
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (52%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (9%)

Outcomes

PSC CSU Channel Islands
Graduation Rate - 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,000 $46,100
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,500 $15,183
Median Loan Payment $98 $156

Diversity

PSC CSU Channel Islands
% Men 34% 34%
% Women 66% 66%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 32%
% Black 17% 2%
% Hispanic 20% 49%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 6%

Students

PSC CSU Channel Islands
% In-State 99% 99%
% Out-of-State 0% 1%

Campus

PSC CSU Channel Islands
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Polk State College is larger than than CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (8,180 students vs. 6,128 students)

PSC vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PSC or CSU Channel Islands?

  • California State University Channel Islands is 131.3% more expensive to attend than PSC for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $2,483.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.4% higher at CSU Channel Islands than Polk State College ($17,622.00 vs. $9,933.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Polk State College than CSU Channel Islands ($9,588 vs. $13,540)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Polk State College are 95.5% lower than costs at California State University Channel Islands ($8,339 vs. $16,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Channel Islands than Polk State College (72% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 197.1% larger than aid received Polk State College ($9,412 vs. $3,168)

Which college is harder to get into, PSC or CSU Channel Islands? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CSU Channel Islands or PSC .

PSC vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PSC or CSU Channel Islands? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between CSU Channel Islands and PSC.

  • Graduates from California State University Channel Islands earn on average $12,100 more per year than PSC graduates after ten years. ($46,100 vs. $34,000)
  • Polk State College students graduate with a $5,683 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU Channel Islands graduates. ($9,500 vs. $15,183)
  • PSC graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than CSU Channel Islands graduates. ($98 vs. $156)
  • More CSU Channel Islands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PSC students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 40%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/